Wire handle for metal chime on fibre drum



July 19, 1966 H. E. LESHER 3,261,053

WIRE HANDLE FOR METAL CHIME 0N FIBRE DRUM Filed Feb. 27. 1965 INVENTORl-l maav E. LEsHEz lX/m; MW

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,261,053 WIRE HANDLE FGR METAL CHIME 0NFIBRE DRUM Harry E. Lesher, Van Wert, Ohio, assignor to ontinental CanCompany, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Feb. 27,1963, Ser. No. 261,458 3 Claims. (Cl. 16126) This invention relates ingeneral to new and useful improvements in fibre drums and moreparticularly to novel means and methods for providing fibre drums withcarrying handles.

The invention more particularly deals with novel means for attaching acarrying handle to a fibre drum.

This invention is further concerned with providing a novel carryinghandle for attachment to a chime of a fibre container.

The completed drum of the present invention is particularly adapted forthe storage and shipment of lard, vegetable shortening and the like. Thedrum bodies are preferably made from fibre tubing composed of severalplies or windings of paperboard. The interior surfaces of the drumbodies are further provided with linings or coatings to prevent theabsorption by the paperboard of the lard or comparable fill which may begrease-like but not necessarily a food product, to prevent the drum fromtaking on an undesirable appearance, and further to prevent the lardfrom oxidizing and becoming rancid.

Drums for use in the lard or shortening industry may contain as much as120 pounds of fill, more or less. It is, therefore, demanded by theindustry that handles be provided for convenience in moving the heavyfilled drums. It is known in the industry to provide handles on thecovers of the drums, but this is unsatisfactory because the benefits ofthe handles are lost as soon as the covers are removed. It is also knownin the industry to attach handles to the side wall of the drum byriveting holding plates to the side wall, but this is objectionablebecause the riveting punctures the drum lining and necessitates patchingof the drum lining.

In view of the foregoing, it is the primary object of this invention toprovide a special handle for fibre drums.

Another object of this invention is to provide a handle adaptable forattachment to the existing chime of a fibre drum.

A further object of this invention is to provide a onepiece wire handlehaving a bowed grasping portion, a pair of connecting sections attachedat the opposite ends of the grasping portion which converge toward andare connected to a pair of reversely bent attaching portions, and aprong formed by each free end of the pair of attaching portions.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a novel methodfor connecting the handle set forth above to a chime of a fibre drumcomprising the steps of squeezing the connecting sections of the handletowards each other so that the prongs can be aligned with preparedpockets or prong receiving recesses in the chime, removing the squeezingforce and allowing the connecting sections to move outwardly from eachother and the prongs to slip partially into the pockets or recesses, andto straighten the bowed grasping portion to spread the connectingsections and thereby move the prongs farther into the pockets orrecesses.

Another object of the invention is to provide a handle in accordancewith the foregoing with the handle having attaching portions which arebent at an angle of approximately 30 degrees to a plane defined by thegrasping portion and connecting sections so that when the handle isattached to the fibre drum chime in a downwardly sus- Patented July 19,1966 pended position, the grasping portion lies closely adjacent theside wall of the fibre drum, and when the handle is pivoted upwardly theattaching portions engage the chime and provide stop means for limitingthe pivoting of the handle.

Still another object of the invention is to form the handle set forthabove such that the outer end of each prong is slightly offset from theapproximate 30 degree plane so that the prongs approximately follow thecontour of the chime.

With the above objects in view, and others that will hereinafter appear,the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to thefollowing detailed description, the appended claims and the variousviews illustrated in the accompanying exemplary drawing:

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a portion of a drumand a chime with the handle connected thereto.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross-section taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE1 with the handle in a downwardly suspended position.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 with the handle in the uppermostposition in which it is to be gripped by a carrier of the drum.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the handle.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary elevational view similar to FIGURE 1 butshowing an alternate type of attaching means formed in the chime.

FIGURE 6 is a front elevation of the handle showing its original shapein dotted lines and its final form in solid lines.

Referring to the drawings in detail, there is shown a portion of a drum10 which may be made up of a tube of several plies or convolute windingsof paperboard or the like. The interior surfaces of the drum 10 arepreferably provided with a coating or lining 11 which is impervious tothe products to be carried in the drum 10. The lining 11 protects thedrum 10 from product absorption when the drum contains lard, vegetableshortening or like fill. Other products may, of course, be contained inthe drum 10, it being obvious that petroleum jelly, flaked or powderedchemicals, liquids and many other materials may be packaged therein.

The top circumferential edge of the drum 10 is enclosed in a bightportion 12 of a metal chime 13 which is fixed to the drum 10 bycompressing the bight portion 12 and the top edge of the drum. The chime13 extends partially down along the outside wall of the drum 10 andforms a metal band around the top of the drum.

About the periphery of the chime 13 are a plurality of pairs of spacedbeads 14, the beads of each pair being placed in opposition to eachother. Each bead 14 is formed from an outwardly displaced or projectedportion of the metal chime 13 and thus forms an interior pocket orreceiving recess 15, the recesses provided by each co operating pair ofbeads 14 opening in opposition one to the other through the opposed cutedges 16 of the beads. The beads 14 and the recesses 15 may be formed bya punching operation prior to the placement of the chime 13 on the drum10.

The beads 14 and recesses 15 comprise means for attaching a handle 17 tothe chime 13, thus to provide for convenient lifting and handling of thedrum 10. The chime 13 provides the preferred position for attaching thehandle 17 to the drum of the type disclosed, rather than to the cover orto the side walls of the drum, because of the availability of the handleeven though the cover be removed, and because of the added advantagethat puncturing of the drum side wall and liner is avoided since norivets and hanging plates are needed for mounting the handles.

The handle 17 is preferably formed of galvanized wire, and it has beenfound that #9 (.148 dia.) Wire is suitable for the intended purposes. Ofcourse, the specific wire used may vary depending upon the weight of thecontemplated load and/or size of the drum.

The wire handle 17 is of a one-piece construction and is comprised of abowed grasping portion 18, a pair of converging connecting sections 19joined to the grasping portion 18 by smoothly curved portions 20, andreversely bent attaching means generally indicated at 21 for readilyattaching the handle 17 to the chime 13. The attaching means 21 arecomprised of a pair of opposed, outwardly opening U-shaped segmentsspaced from each other, said U-shaped segments each comprising an innerleg member 22, a free leg member or prong 23 and a bight portion 24connecting the inner leg member 22 to the prong 23.

The reverse bend of the wire at the bight portion 24, which results inthe attaching means 21 being U-shaped, provides a better fastening meansthan if the beads were centrally disposed between inwardly directedprongs. Hence, when turning a filled drum by grasping and pulling on thehandles so that a tangential force is applied to the chime, the handleof the present invention does not pull out of the bead as would be thecase with other forms of handles. Thus, lighter gage wires may be usedwithout any sacrifice of necessary strength or intended performance.

It is an important feature of this invention that the bight portions 24be disposed in a plane which forms an angle with the plane defined bythe grasping portion 18 and the sections 19. A suitable angle has beenfound to be approximately 30 degrees and has been so illustrated in thedrawings. As a result of this angular relationship, the grasping portion18 and sections 19, when in the non-use position illustrated in FlGURE2, depend from the beads 14 alongside of the side wall of the drum 10and the grasping portion 18 lies in abutting relation to said side walldue to the force of gravity acting upon the angulated handle. With thehandle so disposed, it is less likely to be damaged than if it werespaced outwardly from the side wall.

When the handle is pivoted upward to the use position shown in FIGURE 3,the angular relationship of the bight portions 24 with respect to theplane of the segments 19, provides another important feature of thisinvention in that the bight portions 24 and the inner leg members 22 aredisposed flush against the chime 13 and provide stop means for limitingthe arcuate swinging of the handle 17. As is readily apparent from thedrawings, the handle is stopped short of a vertical position and formsan angle therewith that is substantially equal to the angle which theplane of the bight portions 24 forms with the plane of the segments 19and grasping portion 18. This is a desirable feature in that the fingersof the person lifting the drum 10 are not mashed between the graspingportion 18 and the top of the chime 13 or a cover thereon.

Another important feature of this invention is that the free leg membersor prongs 23 of the U-shaped attaching means 21 are slightly bent fromthe plane of the bight portions 24, as is best shown in FIGURE 4, sothat the prongs 23 approximately follow the circumferential contour ofthe chime 13. This feature facilitates the assembly of the prongs 23into the recesses 15 of the beads 14, because the beads 14 and recesses15 are circumferentially spaced on the chime 13 and are not in astraight line open relationship with each other.

An alternate form of attaching means is shown in FIGURE wherein beads 34are formed in a chime 13 which has a cut-out portion 35 formed thereinbetween the beads, and the beads 34 are punch-formed in the same manneras the beads 14. The openings into the beads 34 are defined by the cutedges 36 and receive the rongs 23 of the handle 17, thereby attachingthe handle to the chime 13.

The handle of the present invention readily adapts itself to a simplemethod for attaching the handle to the chime. In FIGURE 6, the handle isshown in its original shape in the dotted line form and in full lines inits final, or expanded form. In attaching the handle to the chime 13 or13', the handle is given a slight squeeze which moves the bight portions24, the prongs 23 and the sections 19 slightly inwardly or toward eachother so that the outer ends of the prongs 23 may be slipped past theopposed cut-edges 16 or 36 of the beads 14 or 34. Upon release of thesqueezing force, the resilience of the wire causes the handle to returnto its original shape and the prongs 23 are disposed slightly within theopenings defined by the beads 14 and 34 and are held in this position sothat the handle will not fall out prior to bending the bowed portion 18of the handle to spread the prongs into final engaging position. A forceis then applied to the handle 17 which changes its shape from the boweddotted line position of FIGURE 6 to the straighter full line position.As is clearly shown in the drawing, the curved or bowed grasping portion18 is moved inwardly to a substantially straight position and theconnecting segments 19 and the prongs 23 are moved outwardly, therebycausing the prongs to be substantially nestled in the openings definedby the beads 14 or 34. The handle 17 is thereby firmly connected to thechime and will not pull loose under normal conditions.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that there has been provided anovel handle and a novel combination of a handle and chime on a fibredrum. Furthermore, there has been disclosed alternate types of attachingmeans formed in the chime, and a method of assembling the handle toeither form of chime attaching means.

The herein disclosed specific examples of structure and method are notmeant to be restrictive, and it is to be understood that the inventionis limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A one-piece wire handle comprising a grasping portion; a pair ofconnecting sections, one for each end of the grasping portion; andreversely bent attaching means for each of said pair of connectingsections; said attaching means comprising a U-shaped segment having aninner leg member, a free leg. member and a bight portion connecting thefree leg member to the inner leg member; said attaching means beingconnected to the connecting sections by the inner leg member; said bightportion of each of said attaching means defining a plane which isangularly disposed with respect to a plane defined by said pair ofconnecting sections, the free leg member of each of said attaching meansbeing bent out of the plane defined by the bight portion of each of saidattaching means.

2. A handle as in claim 1 wherein the grasping portion is bowed, andsaid connecting sections converge toward said attaching means.

3. In combination, a chime for a drum and a handle connected to saidchime; attaching means formed in said chime and means on said handle forpivotally connecting said handle to said attaching means, said attachingmeans in said chime comprising a pair of spaced outwardly displacedportions of the chime forming a pair of beads opening in opposition toeach other; and the means on said handle for pivotally connecting saidhandle to said attaching means comprising a pair of oppositely disposedU-shaped segments each having an inner leg member, a free leg member anda bight portion connecting the inner leg member to the free leg member,the free leg member of each of said pair of U-shaped segments beingadapted to be received in a respective one of said pair of beads, saidbight portion and inner leg member of each of said U-shaped segmentsdefining a plane which is angularly disposed with respect to a planedefined by said handle, each said bight portion and each said inner legmember being adapted to abut against said chime to limit the pivotalswingingv of said handle, the free leg member of each of said Uashapedsegments being bent 5 out 0f the plane defined by :the respective high-Lpartion and inner leg member to conform generally no the arc of thechime.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Bell 16126Kempter 16l27 Selleck 16127 Potter.

PATRICK A. CLIFFORD, Primary Examiner.

D. L. BURGESS, Assistant Examiner.

1. A ONE-PIECE WIRE HANDLE COMPRISING A GRASPING PORTION; A PAIR OFCONNECTING SECTIONS, ONE FOR EACH END OF THE GRASPING PORTION; ANDREVERSELY BENT ATTACHING MEANS FOR EACH OF SAID PAIR OF CONNECTINGSECTION; SAID ATTACHING MEANS COMPRISING A U-SHAPED SEGMENT HAVING ANINNER LEG MEMBER, A FREE LEG MEMBER AND A BIGHT PORTION CONNECTING THEFREE LEG MEMBER TO THE INNER LEG MEMBER; SAID ATTACHING MEANS BEINGCONNECTED TO THE CONNECTING SECTIONS BY THE INNER LEG MEMBER; SAID BIGHTPORTION OF EACH OF SAID ATTACHING MEANS DEFINING A PLANE WHICH ISANULARLY DISPOSED WITH RESPECT TO A PLANE DEFINED BY SAID PAIR OFCONNECTING SECTIONS, THE FREE LEG MEMBER OF EACH OF SAID ATTACHING MEANSBEING BENT OUT OF THE PLANE DEFINED BY THE BIGHT PORTION OF EACH OF SAIDATTACHING MEANS.